On an unassuming stretch of Penarth Road, Cardiff, sits CULTVR – Europe’s first cross-disciplinary immersive arts venue. Step inside, and you’re greeted by a soaring 12-metre dome, an all-encompassing 360-degree screen and wraparound sound system designed to dissolve the boundaries between audience and story. By day, it hosts workshops, artist residencies and community groups. By night, it transforms into a venue for gigs, films, and performances where everyone, no matter where they’re seated, has the best view in the house.
I first visited CULTVR for a Technicolour gig a few years ago. But this was the first time I’d stepped behind the scenes, meeting the small but visionary team running the arts venue. Seeing the technology up close, hearing how the space came together, and understanding the ethos that drives them gave me deeper appreciation of what CULTVR is trying to achieve – not just globally, but right here in Wales.
When Janire Nájera and Matt Wright met almost 20 years ago, neither could have predicted they’d one day co-create such a pioneering space. But in this repurposed warehouse, CULTVR is merging cutting-edge technology with a deep respect for storytelling, sustainability and community.
Since opening in 2019, CULTVR has firmly put Cardiff on the map for immersive arts and XR (Extended Reality). It was the UK’s first immersive arts centre and remains the only venue able to host up to 300 people under a 360-degree dome for live performances.
“When we opened, we had creatives visiting from Scotland and England who wanted to explore this medium but had no access to the infrastructure where they were based,” says Janire. “Now, Cardiff is part of a global network of immersive venues.”
CULTVR’s international connections are impressive. They have strategic partnerships with centres such as Montreal’s Society for Arts & Technology (SAT), have participated in SXSW in Texas for three consecutive years. Government and creative delegations from Norway, Quebec, and Basque Country and Hong Kong have all visited to learn from their work.
They also hosted the Best of Earth 2025 Awards, celebrating the brightest in immersive storytelling. Hosted at CULTVR and produced by their sister company 4Pi Productions, the event proved that they could not only run a globally significant ceremony but also win at it. Their production Arka Kinari: Artivism at Sea, which explored climate activism through immersive documentary, took home Best Live Performance Experience.
Yet Janire insists their outlook is both global and local. “We were hosting immersive events four years before the Sphere in Las Vegas opened its doors – and we did this totally independently of public funds or corporate investors.” That’s incredible!
A democratic way to see and hear
What sets CULTVR apart isn’t just the technology – it’s the ethos. In a traditional theatre, there’s a hierarchy: good seats, bad seats, restricted views. Matt explains, “here, everyone has the best seat. It’s democratic.” Every audience member is fully surrounded by the visuals and soundscape, breaking down the barriers between performer and spectator. They’ve also made it a priority to support local artists, schools and creative industries. In 2021, CULTVR launched Wales’ first immersive art residencies, helping 12 artists develop XR projects. Their outreach includes workshops with the King’s Trust, school visits, and a programme called Unlocking XR in partnership with Cardiff’s three universities and Cardiff and Vale College.
“You can have all the technology in the world, but without people to tell the stories, the industry goes nowhere,” Janire says. Together in the interview, we liken their field to the early days of cinema. Back then, you had to visit a physical cinema to see a film. Now movies are everywhere. The hope is that this technology becomes just as ubiquitous so more people can tell their stories in this unique way.
Wales at the forefront?
“Wales deserves to lead the UK in immersive theatre,” Matt says. Their vision for the next five years is to see their Cardiff home flourish as a cultural beacon, with one of the world’s first LED domes, cementing Cardiff’s place at the forefront of immersive arts. Locally, they yearn to be a facility that nurtures local voices as much as it attracts global talent. Yet CULTVR still struggles for recognition on its own doorstep. In a cultural landscape that sometimes trades too heavily on the past, it’s easy to overlook innovators shaping the future. While Janire and Matt are invited to present internationally as leaders in immersive arts, they’ve built this venue entirely without the kind of investment their peers abroad take for granted. “We’re a cinema, a theatre, a live music venue, a research centre, a gallery and an immersive arts lab all at once,” says Janire. Perhaps it’s this absence of support that has shaped their fiercely resourceful, sustainable ethos. But if spaces like this aren’t nurtured, where will tomorrow’s storytellers come from?
As they continue to chart a course for immersive arts, one thing is clear: CULTVR isn’t just creating shows, it’s redefining how we gather to see and hear stories together.
Partnerships and sponsorships welcome
As an independent venue, CULTVR hires out its facilities for launches, conferences and performances. And CULTVR’s calendar for August and September is packed with gigs, workshops and exhibitions – offering plenty of opportunities to get involved. For partnerships, sponsorships or to explore the full events calendar, visit www.cultvr.cymru.
Upcoming events
Neurocosm, Alma – 8th August 2025
Movement81 – 15th August 2025
Pink Floyd, The Dark Side Of The Moon – 23rd August 2025
Atlantis 2050, Gwen Sion – 29th August 2025
Pink Floyd, The Dark Side Of The Moon – 12th September 2025
Ishmael Ensemble – 11th October 2025
